Thes. 5. 5. Ye are the children of the day living in Gospel times As also that other prophetical Text Heb. 4. 7. To day if ye will hear his voice saith David speaking of the time of the Gospel as it is there expounded 3. Sometimes it denotes any special opportunity apt and proper season for any transaction So that forenamed Text may be understood Iohn 9. 4. I must work whilest it is day that is whilest I have opportunity And so that other To day if ye will hear his voice whilest the time and season of grace lasteth whilest salvation is offered 4. And lastly by Day sometimes we are to understand a set time determined and appointed by God for some special purpose In this sense we find the word frequently used by the Prophets And in these two last senses understand we the word here in the Text. Ierusalems Day was the time destinated and foreappointed by God and foretold by the Prophets wherein the light of the Gospel should shine forth unto her and that more clearly then ever heretofore and the offer of grace and mercy should be held forth unto her after a special manner Of this day this time the Prophets make frequent mention As the Prophet Isai. Chap. 60. 1. Arise shine or be enlightned for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee So Zachary 9. 9. Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Sion for thy King cometh unto thee Both which had their accomplishment in the coming of Christ in the flesh and particularly in his coming to Ierusalem at this time in this manner presenting himself to it as a King So he himself applies the latter of these Texts Matth. 21. 4 5. And hereupon is this here called Ierusalems day the day that had been so often foretold the time wherein God did offer grace and mercy to her after a more special manner then ever he had done heretofore Before he had often made offers of that kind unto her as to the whole Nation of the Jews by sending his Prophets to her But now he doeth it by his Son So our Saviour sets it forth in that known parable of the Vineyard Matth. 21. 33 c. A certain man planted a vineyard This vineyard was the Church of the Iews Isaiah 5. 1. whom God took to be a peculiar people to himself performing like offices thereunto that the Husbandman would do to his vineyard Being thus planted he let it forth to husbandmen and went himself into a far Countrey God seemed to leave that Church wholly to the care of the Priests In process of time he sends his servants to the husbandmen that they might receive the fruits thereof verse 34. God sends his Prophets to this Church whom by the Parable goeth on they beat and slew vers 35. So they did the former Prophets many of them Againe he sent other servants moe then the first and they did unto them likewise verse 36. Before the Captivity he sent more Prophets to them then formerly who found no better entertainment then the former But last of all he sent unto them his son verse 37. God the Father sends his Son Christ into the world with a special messuage unto the Jews to require from them the fruits of all that grace and favour which had been shewen to them And this was Ierusalems day The time of special grace and mercy offered unto them after a special manner and that by Christ himself wherein she had a special opportunity tendered unto her if she had but had the wisdome to accept it to lay hold of it and make use of it accordingly Even the time of her visitation as the 44th verse after the Text explains it But hinc illae lachrymae this was a matter of just lamentation The day was come and even now spent but Hierusalem had not an eye to see it a heart to make use of it And this it is which our Saviour here bewailes in them and exprobrates to them pities them for and upbraids them with O if thou even thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace At least There is yet a further Emphasis in that Interjection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et quidèm in hâc die tuâ saith the vulgar even in this thy day Hoc saltem tuo die saith Beza whom our Translations follow At least in this thy day That is though thou hast along time stood it out refusing and rejecting many offers of grace yet O that at the length thou wer 't wise◠Or If at least If after that thou hast slain so many Prophets so many servants of mine which have been sent unto thee with conditions of peace yet thou wouldest receive me their Master hearkning to the message which I bring Or at least If after all the unkinde and ungrateful repulses which my self hath hitherto met with by thy obstinate rejecting of my Person and Doctrine yet if now at the length in this my last Expedition the last journey that ever I shall make unto thee the last time of asking now at the day of grace and salvation as to thee is expiring If now at last thou mightest yet know c. Thus our Saviour here maketh use of this circumstance as a further aggravation both of his sorrow and their sin their stupidity and obstinacy that in this day of grace wherein God was pleased to make such a gracious offer of mercy to them they should yet stand it out to the last so neglecting and letting slip the present opportunity as they had done many other by the imbracing whereof they might yet have been happy So sad a thing it is for a people not to take notice of the seasons of grace and mercy vouchsafed unto them for their spiritual and temporal felicity and welfare so as to make a wise use and improvement of them This our Saviour here so sadly lamenteth in Ierusalem And this we shall finde the Lord elsewhere sadly complaining of in this people the people of the Jews As Ieremy 8. 7. Yea the storke in the heavens knoweth her appointed times and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observes the time of their coming but my people know not the judgments of the Lord. Those poor creatures with many other meerly by a natural instinct they observe the times and seasons of the year and so order their going and coming accordingly but that people knew not the judgment of the Lord they tooke no notice of the seasons of mercy and judgment they saw not the judgements of God hovering over their heads that so they might use timely means for the diverting of them And this the Lord there chargeth upon them as gross stupidity And the like regardlesness of seasons and opportunities and the workings and dispensations of Providence he elsewhere complains of against them for by the same Prophet Ier. 5. 4. Surely these are poor they are foolish for they
them Act. 20. 28. Take heed unto the flock whereof the Holy ghost hath made you Overseers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops which properly signifieth as there but how properly I will not say it is rendered Supervisors Oversâ—ers Guides So the Authour to the Hebrews stiles them Heb. 13. 7. 17. Where speaking not of Magistrates but of Minister as is playn enough to those that will not festucam quaerere seeke straws to put out their owne eyes with all he calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers Guids Such as have the rule over you Such the Ministers of Christ are thus set over you by God and doe you know them as such That is Pauls request to his Thessalonians 1 Thes. 5. 12. We beseech you brethren to know them that labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set over you Ministers being set over their flocks in the Lord by God himselfe to deale in those things which concerne his worship and service let them be known and acknowledged for such This take you notice of 2. And secondly thus taking notice of them bless God for them This we have all cause to doe for the Stars Which are not onely an Ornament to the heavens but verie beneficiall to the Earth And this do you for the Ministers of God which are not onely an Ornament to the Church but verie beneficiall to your souls Many are the Benefits which men receive from the stars which they take little notice of And many are the benefits which you do or if you be not wanting to your selves may receive from the Ministers of Christ. And therefore bless that God who hath set them over you These are the Gifts which Jesus Christ upon his Ascension is said to have given He gaue gifts to men saith the Apostle viz. Some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers Eph. 4. 8. 11. And a greater next to himselfe he never gave unto his Church So looke you upon it blessing God for this Gift Bless him for the office of Ministers And if they be in measure able and faithfull burning and shining Lights Stars bless him for their Persons And with all bless him for their Libertie that these Stars are not so clouded but that yet they may shine forth It was a sad time with the Marriners in Pauls voyage to Rome when they could not see so much as a Star for many nights together Act. 27. 20. And it is a sad time with the Church as in time of Persecution it sometimes fals out when these stars appeare not Such stormes there have beene But blessed be he who holdeth these Stars in his right hand that it is not so with this Church at this day Astorme it hath felt and that sad one but blessed be God these Stars yet shine forth 3. Which that they may still do be you earnest with God on their behalfe It is a mercie which the Lord maketh promise of to his people Isaiah 30. 20. Though the Lord give you the bread of Adversity and the water of Affliction yet shall not thy Teachers be removed into corners any more but thine eyes shall see thy Teachers And that this promise may be made good unto you and to your Brethren in this Nation be you earnest with God in this behalf This Paul begs from his Colossians on his own behalf Col. 4. 3. And this let me beg from you as in my own and fellow-labourers here so in the behalf of all the Ministers of Christ in this Nation that God would open keep open unto them a door of utterance to speak the mysterie of Christ. Fourthly Thus praying for them give unto them those respects which upon the account of their office is due unto them Whatever their persons be yet their office is venerable Stars are no despicable creatures And for their office sake have also a respect to their persons Giving unto them that double honour which upon the account of a double work their Teaching and Ruling the Apostle tells you is due unto them 1 Tim. 5. 17. This yield you unto those who desire and endeavour to be found faithful in this Ministration This Paul begs from his Thessalonians and in them from you 1 Thes. 5. 12. We beseech you know them that labour among you and are over you in the Lord and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake Fifthly and lastly having them thus in respect now shew this respect as in other ways so specially by making that use of them for which God hath set them up Making use of their light First Their light of Doctrine Not playing by it as children sometimes do by their Candle till they are fain to go darklings to bed And the like let them make account of who shall so play by this light not regarding not making use of it whilest it is held forth unto them let them make account to go to bed in the dark to die without comfort Neither secondly think it enough to gaze upon it to let this light into the eye of the understanding I mean content not your selves with a meer speculative knowledg Nor yet thirdly think it enough to be a little affected with it So was Herod with looking on that burning and shining light hearing Iohns Doctrine He observed him saith the Text and when he heard him he heard him gladly Mark 6. 20. And the like did many of the Iews They were willing to rejoyce in his light for a season as our Saviour tels them Iohn 5. 35. But do you walk by this light Such use men make of the Stars in the night season they walk by the light of them And such use make you of the light of these stars While you are here in the night of this world walk by the light of their Doctrine As ye have received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk ye in him saith Paul to his Colossians chap. 2. 6. 2. And as by their Doctrine so also by their Example Such use Seamen make of some of the Stars they stear their course by them And such use make you of the Examples of the faithful Ministers of Christ whose lives are truly exemplary Stear your course by them follow them This Paul calleth for from his Corinthians 1 Cor. 4. 16. Wherefore I beseech you be ye followers of me And the like from his Philippians Brethren be ye followers together of me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joynt imitators and mark them which so walk as you have us for an Example Phil. 3. 7. And thus should Christians be of their Ministers Remember them which have the rule over you saith the Apostle to his Hebrews chap. 13. 7. who have spoken to you the word of God whose faith follow the faith which they preached and professed considering the end of their conversation viz. that you may imitate them Onely here remember that Limitation
which the same Apostle elsewhere explaining himself holdeth forth 1 Cor. 11. 1. Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ. Thus do fixed stars move all following the motion of the primum mobile the first mover And thus should the Ministers of Christ follow him making him their Example I have given you an example saith our Saviour to his Apostles that ye should do as I have done unto you John 13. 15. And so far as they follow him let their Example be followed by those committed to their charge And thus have I done with the former of these particulars here held forth in the Text which informs us that Gospel Ministers are Stars Come we now to the second Obser. 2. Gospel Ministers are in the right hand of Iesus Christ. So were these seven Stars the Angels of the seven Churches they were in the right hand of this son of Man in the hand of Iesus Christ. And so are all other Ministers of the Gospel Where let our enquiry again be concerning the Mystery what was hereby signified To which take the Resolution in three or four particulars First Hereby we may conceive to be intimated that Interest and Propertie which the Lord Iesus hath in the Ministers of the Gospell They are his Ministers Though Ministers to the Church yet not properly of the Church But the Ministers of Christ. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 1. And so they may be called upon a threefold Account In as much as they have their Office Mission Commission all from him from his hand First Their Office is from him their Ministeriall function Which was given by Christ unto his Church When he ascended upon high saith the Apostle speaking of Christ Ephe. 11. 8. he led Captivitie Captive and he gave gifts unto men Even as Kings somtimes upon the day of their Coronation and solemn installment use to scatter their donaria giving gifts unto their Subjects Even thus the Lord Iesus upon this day of his Coronation entring upon his Kingdom he gave gifts unto his Church But what Gifts why among other a Gospell Ministerie So the 11. verse there informs us He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers All Ministers offices the three former Extraordinarie and temporarie to continue but for a time during the Infancie of the Church the two latter if they be two Ordinarie and perpetuall to continue to the end of the world Thus did the Church receive the Ministeriall function as a Gift from the hand of Jesus Christ. And that from his Right hand There were these Stars in the Right hand of this Son of man Now Right hand blessings are the twice blessings The wise man speaking of the Gifts and blessings which Wisdome as a Queene bestoweth upon her servants and followers saith Length of days is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour Prov. 3. 16. Length of days a long life being of more value then riches or honour is placed in wisdomes right hand And such is this gift which Christ hath given to his Church the Gospell Ministery a right hand gift a choice blessing And so it may well be looked upon if we doe but consider the end wherefore it was given and for which it serveth which the Apostle also there sets down in the following verse Eph. 4. 12. He gave some Apostles c. But wherefore For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministerie for the edifying of the Bodie of Christ This is the proper worke of the Ministerie even the compleating and perfecting of the Saints and edifying of the Bodie the Mysticall bodie of Christ building up of the Church in Knowledg faith and Holyness untill it be made a compleat and perfect Bodie perfect both with perfection of Parts and Degrees as it there followeth verse 13. Till we all come in the vnitie of the faith of the Son of God unto a perfect man c. Now considering this worke and the high import of it well may this be looked upon as no common no ordinarie Gift that Christ should give unto his Church those who may be instrumentall in this service The Gospell Ministerie is a right-hand-blessing To pass on 2. In the second place Gospell Ministers as they have their function from Christ so also their Mission As their Office is instituted and appointed by him so their Persons are designed and sent by him for the executing of this Office So were his Apostles As my father hath sent me even so send I you saith he to them Ioh. 20. 21. Thence was it that they were called Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messengers persons sent by Christ as Extraordinarie Embassadours Such were the twelue And such was Paul Am I not an Apostle 1 Cor. 9. 1. Being sent by Christ. Christ sent me saith he not to Baptize but to preach the Gospell 1 Cor. 1. 17. Understand it Compartively not so much to intend the one as the other cheifly to apply himselfe to that which he looked at as the principall part of the Ministerial service to preach the Gospel And thus are other Ordinarie Ministers sent Though not in such an immediate way as they were yet sent by Christ as by his Ordinance so by his speciall Providence He is that Lord of the harvest which sendeth forth Labourers into his Harvest Ministers into his Church Mat. 9. last These are of Christs sending have their Mission from him Thirdly And as their Mission so their Commission Hence tearmed his Ambassadours Now then we are Ambassadours for Christ saith the Apostle speaking of himselfe and other Gospell Ministers 2 Cor. 5. 20. And elswhere he calleth himselfe an Ambassadour in bonds Eph. 6. 20. Ambassadours are speciall Messengers sent with Commission from their Masters to act in their names And such Messengers are the Ministers of Jesus Christ they are sent by him with a Commission with Authoritie from him to act in his name As though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled unto God so it there followeth 2 Cor. 5. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christi nomine in the name of Christ as being deputed and authorized by him So are all true Gospell Ministers being sent by Christ they are also impowred by him having the Keys put into their hands Even as Eliakim who was made High-Steward of the Royall family is said to have the Key of the house of David laid upon his shoulder Isaiah 22. 22. Importing that power and authoritie which should be given to him for the executing of his Office Even so the Ministers of Christ are said to have the Keyes put into their hands I give unto thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of heaven saith our Saviour to Peter Matth. 16. 19. that is a Ministerial power and authoritie And this he gave not
unto him before the time that God fore-designed was come as St. John observes it Joh. 7. 30. 8. 20. Thus did his Father still uphold him in the work of his Ministery in despite of all opposition Behold my servant whom I uphold it is spoken of Christ Isai. 42. 1. And thus is Jesus Christ pleased sometimes to uphold his Ministers being with them as he was with those three worthies in the midst of the fiery furnace keeping them from persecution in the midst of it so as whilest they see or hear of it yet they feel not of it Or if they do yet even then standing by them supporting strengthning delivering them So was he with his servant Paul At his first appearing before Nero as he tels Timothy 2 Tim. 4. 16 17. No man stood by me but all forsook me yet notwithstanding saith he the Lord stood by me and strengthened me and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon Thus did his Lord and Master then stand by him holding him in his right hand preserving and delivering him from the hand of that cruel tyrant still continuing both his life and libertie And the like hath he done for other of his servants This is that the Lord telleth his servant Ieremy chap. 1. vers 18 19. Behold I have made thee this day a defenced City and an iron pillar and brazen walls against the whole land against Kings Princes Priests People And they shall fight against thee but they shall not prevail against thee for I am with theâ—â— saith the Lord to deliver thee And the like may all the faithful Ministers of Christ comfortably assure themselves of that so long aâ— their Lord and Master hath any work for them to do he both can and will uphold them he hath them in his right hand Fourthly and lastly he hath them in his right hand giving Influence to these stars giving efficacy and successe to the labours of his Ministers making them effectual for those ends for which they are designed This is that which the Lord promiseth to the Philadelphian Angel Rev. 3. 8. Behold I have set before thee an open door and no man shall shut it Though your adversaries at that time were many and those both potent and violent yet they should not be able to hinder the passage of the Gospel but the Ministers of the Church should have both liberty and great successe in their Ministry This is also the work of Christ to set open such a door as Paul saith was opened to him at Ephesus 1 Cor. 16. 9. a great and effectual door This is the hand as it is said in that text forecited Act. 11. 21 The hand of the Lord was with them that preached the Gospel and a great number beleeved and turned unto the Lord. To him it is the Apostle ascribes the efficacy and successe of all the Ministerial labours of himself or others 1 Cor. 3. 5. Who then is Paul saith he or who is Apollos but Ministers by whom ye beleeved even as the Lord gave to euery man As he was pleased first to dispence his gifts and then give successe to the endeavours of his servants who are but as Instruments in his hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he saith of servants Reasonable instruments and so may use their endeavours but in the mean time the successe and efficacy thereof dependeth all upon the hand that holdeth them So the Apostle goeth on I have plaâ—â—ed Apollos watered but God gave the increase v. 6. Paul had laid the foundation converting them from loganisme to christianitie and Apollos and others had built upon that foundation watering what he had planted but is was God that gave the blessing to both their endeavours Thus are Ministers as I said no other but instruments in the hand of Christ the efficacy of their ministerie depending wholly upon his Cooperation Not able to do any thing of themselves But through the hand of Christ assisting of them they are made instrumental for great services So are weak instruments sometimes in the haud of a skilful Artificer great and curious peeces are wrought by them And even so are the Ministers of Christ being acted by his hand though weak and impotent of themselves yet their ministerie is made powerful for the effecting of great things Even their foolishnesse of preaching as the Apostle calls it is now made the power of God to the salvation of them that beleeve And thus you see the mysterie also of this Representation Which let it now be useful as the former was first to Ministers then to people For the former Let them in that place Remember whose Ministers they are From whom it is that they have received their office their power their omssion their commission Even from Jesus Christ in whose hand they are to be disposed of by him according to his good will and pleasure He it is that is their Lord they his servants instruments in his hand And being so In the second place let them approve themselves unto him in doing his will his work Even as Christ himself did the will and works of his Father I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me Joh. 6. 38. I must work the works of him that sent me Joh. 9. 4. Even so let the Ministers of Christ do being sent by him let them not do their own wills their own works but the will and works of him that sent them Following those directions and instructions which they receive from him not speaking or acting of their own heads Of my self I can do nothing as I hear I judge saith Christ to the Jews Ioh. 5. 30. And again v. 19. The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do Being sent by his Father he followed his instructions his directions both in Dostrine and Practise And so let his Ministers do renouncing their own judgements and wills let them attend his directions In all seeking his Glory not their own so did their Lord and Master I seek not mine own glory saith he Ioh. 8. 50. Whose then why the glory of his Father who had sent him I have glorified thee on earth Joh. 17. 4. And so let all the Ministers of Christ in their whole Ministration let them not seek themselves but him It is a foul imputation which the Apostle chargeth upon most of the Ministers of his time that they were self seekers All seek their own things not the things which were Iesus Christs Phil. 2. 21. All that is the greatst part preferred their own profit and honour before the glory of their Lord and Master Let is not be so with us Hereby shall the ministers of Christ approve and evidence themselves to be his Ministers indeed viz. by doing his work with an eye to him seeking his glory He that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true Joh. 7. 18. Thirdly
Thus approving themselves unto Christ let them then Commit themselves unto him commending themselves into this hand of his So did their Master dying he commended his Spirit into his Fathers hand Into thy hand I commend my Spirit Luk. 23. 46 And so let his servants do both living and dying commend themselves their lives their liberties their labours their all into the hand of this their Lord and Master by faith putting themselves into the hollow of that hand and lying down under the shadow of it Commit thy way unto the Lord saith David unto all Psal. 37. 5. And this let the Ministers of Christ do in a special manner Fourthly And thus committing themselves to him let them also submit unto him Taking notice that they are in his hand let them yeeld up themselves unto him to be disposed of by him according to his good will and pleasure So did the blessed Apostle St. Paul So long as his Lord and Master Christ might be glorified in him and by him he did not much weigh in what way it was whether by life or by death as he tells his Philippians Phil. 1. 20. And let their be the like minde in all the Ministers of Jesus Christ. In all things let them comply with his mind and will Being willing to go whether he calls or sends them like the Centurions souldiers and servants Mat. 8. 9. I say to one go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh c. And to do what he will have them Peter though he had fished all night and caught nothing yet neverthelesse at his Masters command he will let down the net Luk. 5. 5. And as doing so suffering for him I am ready not onely to be bound but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus saith Paul to the Disciples Act. 21. 13. And thus committing and submitting themselves to him let them now incourage themselves in him So did David in that great distresse of his when he knew not what to do he then Encouraged himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30. 6. And this let all the faithful Ministers of Jesus Christ do Remembring that they are in his hand yea in his right hand which may serve as a grand Encouragement to bear up their hearts and spirits First Against the contempt of the world that mean estimation which the men of this world have of them and of their calling Let the world judge and think and speak of them as it will It is not this judgement which they are much to regard with me saith the Apostle It is a very small thing to be judged of you or of mans judgement 1 Cor. 4. 3. Whose judgement then was it that he regarded Why the judgement of his Lord and Master Christ so it followeth in the next verse He that judgeth me is the Lord. What then though the world have a low a meane base estimation of the Persons and calling of the Ministers of Christ So it had of Paul and the rest of the Apostles as he setteth it forth in the sequel of that Chapter We are made a spectacle unto the world and unto Angels and unto Men verse 9. We are made the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things v 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very sweepage and dross the off all and shreds of the world Such a mean and base esteem had many in those times of Paul and his Collegues the blessed Apostles and other Primitive Ministers And it is but too apparent that such and no better is the esteem which many even among our selves have of them at this day whose tongues and pens speak what their thoughts are But let not this be regarded by the faithfull Mininisters of Christ. It is enough that their Lord and Master Christ thinks otherwise of them Let the world as it doth set them upon the left hand He hath taken them into his right hand and there he holdeth them thereby declaring both how near and dear they are to him near in Relation dear in Affection Euen as the Signet upon his right hand as the Lord saith of Eliakim Ier. 22. 24. or as the men of his right hand as the Psalmist saith of David Psalm 80. 17. his Benjamins the sons of his right hand as that word signiefith And secondly as against the contempt so against the Opposition which they meet withall in and from the world which oft time is not little Paul met with affronts more then a few Being to preach to the Deputie Sergius Paulus Elimas the Sorcerer withstood him Acts 13. 8. And elsewhere he tells us of his fighting with beasts at Ephesus 1 Cor. 15. 32. which some and not a few understand of bruitish bestiall savage and cruel bloody minded adversaries And such he sometimes conflicted with as appeareth from that request of his which he maketh to his Thessalonians 2 Thes. 3. 2. Where he desireth them to pray for him that among other things he might be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men And such conflicts the rest of the Apostles had frequent experience of finding that to be true which their Lord and Master had foretold them Matth. 10. that they were sent forth as sheep among Wolves verse 16. and that they should be hated of all men for his Names sake verse 22. because they were his servants his Ministers imployed in his service And what if the Ministers of Christ shall meet with the like at this day Which at not a few hands they already doe There being many who are desperately ingaged not onely against their Persons but against their Profession their Calling crying that down as useless and unnecessarie nay destructive and pernicious seeking by all wayes they can to extirpate and root it out But let not all this discourage the faithfull Ministers of Jesus Christ knowing that they are in his hand not in the hand of man If so there were just cause to fear their standing But in the hand of Iesus Christ and that in his Right hand which is both a gracious and a powerfull a sure and safe Custodie and Protection And who is it then that shall take them out of his hand Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand saith our Saviour concerning his sheep John 18. 20. And if not the sheep surely then not the shepherds He that hath such a vigilant eye over the one will not be regardlesse of the other Pan curatoves oviumque Magistros Yea then let men and devils do their worst yet let not them fear That was Davids resolution which he took up upon this very ground Psalme 56. 6 4. In God have I put my trust I will not fear what flesh can doe unto me Such is the Arme of man how long how strong how potent soever it be yet it is but an Arm of flesh as the Prophet tells it Jer. 17. 5. Flesh not Spirit as the Prophet Isaiah saith of
from them No more can the machinations and designs of these his enemies how closely how covertly soever they be carried Though covered under never so specious pretences yet cannot they be hid from these piercing and alseeing eyes Next for his Feet they were like unto fine brasse burning in a furnace strong and terrible terrible to look upon much more to feel able to trample upon all his enemies And in his right hand are these stars which also is as I have shewed you a powerful and a terrible hand when it meeteth with his enemies Thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things Psal. 45. 4. And for his Mouth behold a sharpe two edged sword going out of it Now who is there that beholding these will be so hardy as to dare grapple with such an adversarie to attempt the pulling of these stars out of his hand which whilest they go about let them take heed of his feet and take heed of the sword in his mouth both which are engaged for the defending of these stars This by way of Dehortation In the third place by way of Instruction let them in the want of faithful Ministers see whither to repair for them Go uuto Jesus Christ and beg them from him So they are by him directed to do in that place forecited Matth. 9. last Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth labourers into his harvest Now who is this Lord of the harvest but himself whose field the Church is whereof he is the Lord. O beg it from him that he would send forth labourers able and faithful labourers into it And truly great reason there is why all that wish well unto the Church of God in this nation should do this at this day in as much as what our Saviour saith there in the ve following suits but too well with the present times The harvest truly is great but the labourers are few Labourers indeed such as have both skill and will to labour able and faithful Ministers Yea and like to be fewer There being divers of them already fallen asleep and some others following after them being already laid aside as broken vessels no longer useful Besides those many discouragements cast in the way by those that are no wellwillers to a learned Ministery so as that there may be just cause to fear a dearth a scarcitie of such labourers O pray the Lord of this harvest that he would give out of this store which he hath in his right hand that he would furnish his Church in this Nation as elswhere with an able and faithful Ministerie sending forth store of such as may gather in the rest of his harvest that so the number of his Elect being brought in there might be an end made of these sinful and miserable dayes This in the want of Ministers Fourthly In the inoying of them give these respects to them which are due to them upon this account so esteeming of them as the Ministers of Iesus Christ. This Paul requireth for himself and fellow labourers in that place foreâ—ited 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a man i. e. every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so account or esteeme 〈◊〉 us as of the Ministers of Christ. And so let all 〈◊〉 of their successours First Not undervaluing them not esteeming 〈◊〉 meanly of them but highly Know them saith the Apostle in that Text forementioned 〈◊〉 Thes. 5. 13. Which labour among you and are â—ver you in the Lord and admonish you and esteem â—hem very highly in Love for their workes sake Though not for their own sake yet for their â—orkes their office sake For this esteem them and â—â—at highly yea very highly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—nely let it be in Love Men oft times esteem â—ery highly of men in high place but it is for â—ar fear of their power Now there is no reason why the Ministers of â—hrist should thus be feared who doe not lay â—aim to any secular jurisdiction Let that estiâ—ation which is afforded them be the issue of â—ove Love for their Masters sake and their â—orks sake For which let them be respected â—noured Honour to whom honour saith the Aâ—ostle Rom. 13. 7. Now that this is due to the â—ithfull Ministers of Christ such as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as Rule well and â—â—bour in the Word and Doctrine as the Apostle describeth them in that known forecited Text 1 Tim. 5. 17. He will there also tell you They are worthie of honour yea double honour both of Reverence and Maintenance which let them not want And great Reason there is why the faithfull Ministers of Christ should be thus honoured seeing Christ himself hath honoured them So it was proclaimed before Mordecay Hest. 6. 9. Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour him should the people honour also And so let it be done to the men whom the King of Heaven the Lord Iesus delighteth to honour his faithfull Ministers whom he holdeth as Stars in his right hand The right hand is a place of Honour and Dignitie Hence it was that Solomon placed his Mother there 1 King 2. 19. She sate on the right hand And his Queen Vpon thy right hand did stand the Queen Psal. 45. 9. And this is the honour which Christ will give to his sheep his Elect at the last day to set them on his right hand Matth. 25. 33. Now such is the honour which this Sonne of man here giveth the Stars he placeth them in his right hand And seeing their Lord and Master thus honoured them to afford them his right hand let not his servants set them on the left thinking too meanly of them Secondly Nor yet on the other hand too highly not above that which is meete Remembring still that they are but Ministers Instruments in the hand of Christ by whom he operateth worketh Is it so then that their Ministry is made effectuall for the good of any let them see whither to give the glory Not to them Who is Paul who is Apollos but Ministers c. But unto Christ in whose hand they are and who is pleased thus to put forth his power in them and by them Thus when we see a curious piece of manifacture we admire not the tool but the hand that wrought it Such are the Ministers Tooles Instruments in the hand of Christ what work is done by them give the honour of it not to them but him S. Peter directed the people Act. 3. 12. when they stood gazing upon him as ready to adore him for that great Cure which he had wrought upon the lame man When he saw it saith the Text he answered unto the people Ye men of Israel why look ye so earnestly on us as if by our own power or holiness we had made this man whole By what power then why the power of Iesus
of the mouth of Jesus Christ his word it hath a double yea a contrary operation being both a killing and a qâ—ickning word Both these doth the Lord in a literal sense The Lord killeth and maketh alive saith Hannah in her song 1 Sam. 2. 6. And both these doth the Lord Jesus in a Spiritual sense and that by his word So the Apostle setteth forth the two-fold property of it 2 Cor. 3. 6. The letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life The letter The letter of the Law which is litera occidens a killing letter in as much as it requireth part from man which in his now corrupted estate he is no wayes able to perform and so is a sword at his heart giving him a deadly wound Whence it is that is called in the verses following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministerie or Ministration of death vers 7. and in the 9 th verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministration of condemnation Because it layeth men under the sentence of eternal condemnation Such is the Ministery of the Law But now the Spirit and the Ministery thereof in the preaching of the Gospel that giveth life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it quickneth maketh alive First putting a new life into a dead soul raising it up from the death of sin to the life of holinesse to the life of grace here and glory hereafter Whence it is called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of life Phil. 2. 16. And then reviving and chearing it with the sweet promises thereof Thy word hath quickned me saith David Psal. 119. 50. Thus hath the Word like a two edged sword a double and contrary operation upon the soul. And so it hath to prosecute this point yet a a little further both upon different subjects and upon the same First In different subjects or persons it hath a different opperation So it hath upon beleevers and unbeleevers Elect ones and Reprobates Working upon both but in different yea contrary waies This the same Apostle setteth forth most clearly in the chapter there foregoing 2 Cor. 2. 15 16 For we saith he speaking of himself and other Gospel Ministers are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish Their service in preaching of the word is acceptable unto God through Christ though it do not produce the same effect in those that hear them but have a contrary work according as it needeth with different subjects So it followeth To the one we are a savour of death unto death and to the other the savour of life unto life Such contrary smels and savours there are in nature as Grotius notes upon it some poysonous and deadly as of those Lakes Avernus and Asphalties others again so recreating and refreshing that being put to the nose they will revive the spirits of a fainting person And of such a contrary operation is the sword in the preaching of it Meeting with persons of different dispositions it is to the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the one a sweet savour a savour of life So is it to Gods Elect to whom believing it it is made the power of God to their salvation as the same Apostle elsewhere saith of it Rom. 1. 16. A savour of life unto life quickening them up as I said before to the life of grace here and glory hereafter But on the other hand to unbelivers it becometh a savour of death unto death A deadly savour Not that the Gospel is so of it self being in its own nature as I said even now the word of life but accidentally it becometh so to them through their rejecting of it Now it is to them not onely an occasion but a cause of their just and greater condemnation Even as it is with the Proclamation of a Prince which he maketh to his rebellious subjects wherein he maketh offer not onely of pardon but of grace and favour to those that will lay down their armes and forthwith come in shewing themselves loyal and obedient but on the other hand threatneth extremity of punishment to those that shall yet stand out This Proclamation with the same breath breatheth both life and death Life to those which will hearken to it which is the proper end and intent of proclaiming it but death to those that oppose themselves against it Even so it is with the Evangelicall Proclamation the Doctrine of the Gospel it preacheth life and death after the same manner Life to penitent believers who readily accept the offers of grace and mercy there tendered Death to obstinate and rebellious sinners who reject them Thus is Iesus Christ who is the proper subject of the Gospel according to Simeons Prophesie at his Birth Luk. 2. 34. Behold saith he this childe is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel Even as the same Star as our new Annotators glosseth upon it is at the same time both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both morning Star and evening Star To some the morning Star bringing the light and day to them To others the evening Star bringing darknesse and night Thus is the Lord Iesus that Star of Jacob being held forth in the Gospell to some those that believe on him he is what he calls himsel Rev. 22. 16. The bright morning Star bringing to them the light and day of Grace here and Glorie hereafter But to others such as reject him will not receive him as their Saviour and Lord as the evening Star bringing to them a night of everlasting darknesse Such is the different and contrary operation of the word upon different persons 2. And in the second place such is the operation of it in and upon the same Persons A different nay a contrary operation So it hath in and upon Gods Elect upon all true believers of whom it may be said not onely that they were dead and are alive This my sonne was dead and is alive again saith the Father of his Prodigall sonne being returned home Luke 15. 24. And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins saith Paul of his believing Ephesians Eph. 2. 1. But also that they are dead and alive both at the same time So that the Apostle tels his Romanes Rom. 6. 11. Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God And both these they are the effects of the word Which first killeth them which it may be said to do two wayes First by showing them their naturall state which is a state of death Such effect it had in and upon the Apostle as he sets it forth Rom. 7. 9. I was alive without the Law once but when the â—ommandment came sin revived I died Whil'st he was a Pharisee he thought well and highly of himself that he was in a happy condition he apprehended himself to be in perfect health as
in his Conception and Birth And such he was in his Life During which he continually conversed with sinners yet he received no infection from them Being every way such as the Apostle describeth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy harmless â—ndefiled separate from sinners viz. in respect of any participation in that sin which is common to all other of the sons of men Heb. 7. 26. Thus Jesus Christ was and is as the Sun in respect of his personal properties From them come we to his operations and effects And here we shall find the like resemblance Christ being unto his Church as the Sun is to the world present with it Even as the Sun is in the midst of the Planets and being in his strength at noon day it is in the midst of the heavens and yet so as it is vertually and vigorously present in all places of the hemisphere that part of heaven and earth wherin it appears Even so is the Lord Iesus in the midst of his Châ—rches So this Son of man here appeareth unto our Apostle in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks A representation of the presence of Christ in the midst of those seven Churches as the last verse of this Chhapter expounds it And so he is in all other his Churches in the midst of them Being present not only with his Ministers to whom he hath promised his presence after a special manner Behold I am with you alwayes to the end of the world Math. 28. 20. But also with all true worshippers That is his promise to his Disciples and in them to all believers Matth. 18. 20. Where two or three are met together in my name there am I in the midst of them Coming together in the name by Authority with commission from Iesus Christ and being occupied about the business of his worship and service there is he in the midst of them viz. by his grace and spirit Even as the Sun whilest the Body of it is in heaven yet by the beams of it it is upon earth Thus the Lord Jesus whilest his body is in heaven yet by his grace and spirit he is present with his Church upon earth and that efficaciously present not only eying and observing but acting Exercising many operations in for and upon his Church resembling those offices which the Sun performeth unto the earth Of these instance in three or four of the principal 1. Enlightning it This doth the Sun being the fountaine of light it inlightneth both earth and heaven as the dark places here below so the moone and stars above all with what light so ever they have they receive it from this great Luminary the Sun This is Iesus Christ the light of the world So he stileth himselfe once and againe I am the light of the world Ioh. 8. 12 and 9. 5. viz of the Reasonable world the world of mankinde In him was life and the life was the light of men Ioh. 1. 4. Of all men What ever light they have whether Naturall or Supernaturall they receive it from Iesus Christ. For Naturall light even that common light of reason and understanding that is a beame from this Sun So that Text is commonly understood Ioh 1. 9. where it is sayed of Christ. Hee is that true light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world viz with that common light of Reason which as their Creatour he bestoweth upon them Much more supernaturall light And that both of Grace and Glory The light of grace where with the soules of Gods elect are inlightned it is an effluxe from this Sun The light shineth in darkness sayth Saint Iohn in the fift verse of that Chap Thus doth Iesus Christ inlighten the minds of men with supernaturall knowledg which of themselves are full of darkness of ignorance And so that ninth verse there may be read and construed That was the true light which coming into the world inlightneth every man So Grotius following Cyrill and Augustine there looketh upon it referring the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coming not to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every man but to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light This Iesus Christ coming into the world inlightneth every man viz. that is inlightned Communicating the light of divine and supernaturall knowledg to the world And that as the Sun doth his light unto the earth which in a little time in the space of twentie-foure howers inlightneth the whole world So the Psalmist setteth forth both the swift motion and vigorous operation of it Psal. 19. 5. In the heavens God hath set a Tabernacle for the Sun which is as a Bridgroome coming out of his Chamber and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race His going forth is from the end of the heavens and his circuit unto the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heat therof Even thus the Lord Iesus coming out of the womb of the virgin his Bride-chamber in a little space by himself and by his Apostles caused the light of his gospel to shine forth through the world in so much as the Apostle saith that in his time it was and had beene preached to every creature under heaven Col. 1. 23. So as in this he was like unto the Sun So the Apostle applyeth that of the Psalmist concerning the Sun unto him Rom. 10. 18. Thus doth the light of grace come from Iesus Christ in whome as the Apostle saith are hid all the Treasures of wisdom and knowledg Col. 2. 3. And that as of Common so specially of saving grace This light cometh from the face of Iesus Christ being beheld by faith So much we may learn from that Text of the Apostle 2. Cor. 4. 6. God hath shined into our hearts that we should give the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. The glory of God shineth in the face of Iesus Christ which being held forth unto Gods elect in the Glass of the Gospel and there beheld by them by faith they come thereby to be changed into the same Image from glorie to glory as the same Apostle hath it 2 Cor. 3. last By thus beholding of the face of Christ they come to be made like unto him in the glory of holiness which work is still in progress here untill it come to perfection in heaven Thus is the light of Grace derived from Iesus Christ. And so is the Misticall Glory Which is but as it were a reflex from that glory which is in the face of Iesus Christ which being beheld by the Saints of God in that beatificall vision they thereby are made partakers of the same glory Even as so many looking glasses being set before the Sun by the reflex of the Beames thereof every one is changed into the same Image and made like unto it Even so shall it be with the Saints in heaven We know saith Saint Iohn
that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Ioh. 3. 2. Like him in Glory When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall yee also appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. Thus is Iesus Christ fitly resembled by the Sun in regard of his illuminating property being fons luminis the fountaine of all light inlightning all that are inlightned in what kind so ever 2 And inlightning hee also enliveneth quickneth This doth the Sun in a naturall way it quickneth vegetables hearbs and plantes and trees and some other creatures which seeme dead in the winter yet by the returne of the Sun they are quickned in the spring And the like doth Iesus Christ in a supernaturall way Hee quickneth men Thence called their life in that place last mentioned When Christ who is our life shall appeare Col. 3. 4. Quickning them and that both in their soules and Bodies Their soules The Son quickneth whome he will Ioh. 5. 21. This doth he here to the soules of men Finding them dead in trespasses and sins Chap. 2. 1. hee quickneth them Which he doth by sending his spirit into their hearts as the Sun quickneth the hearbs and plants by sending his warme beames into the bosome of the earth And as the soules so the Bodies of men Having quickned the soules of his elect here he shall quicken their Bodies hereafter This is the Fathers will who hath sent me saith our Saviour that of all that he hath given me I should loose nothing but should raise it up againe at the last day Ioh 6. 39. And this shall he doe by the same spirit So the Apostle tels his Romanes C. 8. 11. If the spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodyes by his spirit that dwelleth in you That spirit of Christ which here quickneth the souls of his elect in the first resurrection shall by the like power also quicken their bodies in the second Upon which double account he is called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Quickning spirit 1. Cor. 15. 45. The last Adam was made a quickning spirit The last Adam Iesus Christ who is the head and roote of all his elect as the first Adam was of all mankind he is ordained by God to be the fountaine and Author both of a spirituall and Eternall life unto them quickning them by the Communication of his spirit unto them quickning their Souls here and Bodyes hereafter Thus is he as the Sun vivifiying quickning 3. Quickning he also cheareth and comforteth This doth the Sun which is as it were the Ioy and comfort of the world without which there is nothing but melancholie darkness and sadness Such is Iesus Christ the joy and comfort of his Church The Consolation of Israel as he is stiled Luk. 2. 25. refreshing chearing comforting the hearts of his people Even as the Sun by the warm beams of it cheereth and refresheth the herbes and plants making them lift up the head which drooped before Even thus doth this Sun of righteousnes arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4. 2. Comforting the hearts of his people chearing up their drooping and dejected spirits comforting them I even I am he that comforteth you saith the Lord Christ to his people Isai. 51. 1. This is the proper office of Iesus Christ as the same Prophet sets it forth Isai. 91. 1. 2. The spirit of the Lord is upon me and hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meeke He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted to comfort all that mourn To appoint unto them that mourn in Sion to give unto them beauty for asshes and the oyle of joy for mourning the garment of gladness for the spirit of heavines Even as the Sun arising upon the earth putteth a new garment upon it instead of that sable mantle of darkness wherewith it was covered it put on it a robe of â—ight and so alters the habit of it making all things chearfull and comfortable So doth Iesus Christ coming to a dejected soule he causeth light to shine forth into it even the light of spirituall joy and comfort so changing and altering the state of it Which also he doth by his spirit Even as the sun whilst the body of it is in heaven yet by sending downe its beames it cheareth and comforteth those creatures which are here below Thus doth the Lord Iesus though he be in person in heaven yet by sending his spirit he comforteth the hearts of his people That is the Promise which he maketh unto his Apostles when he was to take his leave of them as to his bodily presence yet he would not leave them comfortles Ioh. 14. 18. I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you viz. by his spirit Even as the Sun though at a vast distance from the earth yet daily cometh to it viâ—iteth it by sending down his beams upon it Thus â—he Lord Iesus though keeping his residence in heaven yet he cometh to his people upon earth by sending his Spirit to them which is their Comforter When the Comforter is come whom I wil send unto you even the spirit of truth c. Ioh. 15. 26. 4. Againe Thus chearing the hearts of his people he also maketh them to fructifie So doth the Sun to the earth to trees and plants by â—hining upon them it maketh them beare fruit which otherwise standing in the shade would be barren What ever fruites the earth bringeth forth it may thanke the Sun for it And thus the Lord Iesus by sending his spirit into the hearts of his people he maketh them fruitful who otherwise without him would be barren as he himself setteth it forth fully Ioh. 15. 4 c. By this meanes they who of themselves are not sufficient so much as to thinke a good thought as the Apostle hath it 2 Cor. 3. 9. come to abound in good workes and to be filled with the fruites of righteousness which are by Iesus Christ to the Praise and Glory of God as the same Apostle prayeth for his Philippians Phil. 1. 11. Which fruits are the fruites of the spirit so called Gal. 5. 22. 5. To which I might yet add As he causeth them to fructifie so also he purifieth them Thiâ— doth the Sun rising upon the earth it clarifieth purifieth the ayre freeing it from those annoyances which in the night season had fallen upon it And this doth the Lord Iesus rising upon the heart of his people by his spirit he purifieth them Thence compared to a refiners fire Mat. 3. 2 3. But I shall not give way to further inlargments Thus you see how Iesus Christ is as the Sun to his Church performing the like office to his people that the Sun doth to the world I might yet goe on and shew you how he is
and will be as the Sun to all others even to his Enemies and that whether open or secret For his secret Enemies Hypocrites he shall discover them Even as the Sun rising upon the earth it maketh a discoverie of what lay hid before Thus shall the Lord Iesus when he shall arise upon the earth as he shall doe at his second coming hee shall then make a discoverie of all men of their Persons Actions Counsels though now never so secret So the Apostle layeth it down 1. Cor. 4 5. Iudg nothing before the time untill the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsells of the hearts And both secret and open Enemies he shall then confound who shall not be able to looke him in the face at the last day when he shall appeare in his glory no more then a bleare eye can indure to looke upon the Sun shining in his strength But then shall they flye from his presence Even as the Psalmist saith of those beasts of prey Psal. 104. 20 21 22. Thou makest darkness and it is night wherein all the beasts of the forrest doe creepe forth The young lyons roare after their prey c. But the Sun arising they gather themselves together and laye them downe in their dens Thus shall it be with the Enemies of Christ and his Church During the night of the Churches afflictions they forage and make prey of the poore Lambs of Christ exercising all kind of savage crueltie upon the Saints of God But when this Sun shall arise upon the Earth as one day it shall the Lord Iesus appeare in his glory then they will flye from his presence running to their dens So we have it described and set forth Rev. 6 15 16. Where our Apostle speaking of the manner of Christs coming his coming to judgement at the last day as it is commonly looked upon at this day saith he The Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the cheif Captaines those who had before been the most robustious and daring enemies of the Church they shall then hide themselues in the dens and in the rocks of the mountaines saying to the rocks and to the mountaines fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the lambe So terrible shall the face of Iesus Christ be â—o his Enemies when they shal see him As see him they shall Every eye shall see him saith the seventh verse of this Chapter And see his face and that as Saint Iohn here doth shining as the Sun And how terrible will this face be then to all those who have formerly done that metaphorically which some of the Iewes did literally Math. 26 67. Spit upon it But I hold back Thus have I done with the first of these particulars I shall be more brief in explicating the two other so put altogether in a joynt Application The face of this Son of man was as the Sun and as the Sun shining So doth not the Sun alwayes Though it be above the Horizon yet it doth not alwayes shine forth being sometimes veiled with a cloud or eclipsed by the interposure of the Moon And such was the estate of this Son of man Iesus Christ here upon earth He was then a Sun To you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise saith the Prophet speaking of the coming of Christ in the flesh Mal. 4. 2. But he was then under a cloud the glory of his Divinity being hid under the veil of his Humanity under a mean outside Insomuch that they who then looked upon him saw nothing extraordinary in him He hath no form nor comliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him So the Prophet sets forth the state and condition of this Son of man upon the earth Isaiah 53. 2. which was so mean and despicable as that there was nothing sightly much less glorious to be seen in him Such it was in his life much more in his death Then was this Sun under a sad and almost total Eclipse Then was this Son of man no other but a ruful spectacle of deformity and misery His face his countenance was then marred So the same Prophet in the Chapter foregoing expresseth the sadness of his condition Many were astonished at him saith he speaking of Christ his visage was so marred more then any man and his form more then the sons of men Isaiah 52 14. So was it with him in his Passion wherein the person of Christ was subjected to the greatest indignity that could be cast upon it His face was then far from shining But now behold this Sun is broke forth Christ being risen from the dead and ascended into heaven now his face shineth So it did in his Transfiguration upon the Mount Matth. 17. 2. His face did shine as the Sun A preludium of that Glory which he was to enter into after his Passion was over Of which he tels those Disciples travelling to Emmaus Luke 24. 26. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory And what he therefore telleth them was to be done here he sheweth unto his servant Iohn that it was done making him an eye-witness of it shewing him his face which was as the Sun shining Such was the change of his condition In his state of Humiliation mean and despicable none more in his state of Exaltation glorious none so much His Humanity his flesh being cloathed with a singular and admirable clarity and brightness so burnished that it shines like the Sun And herein shall the members be made conformable to the head Whatever the state and condition of Gods Saints here be though never so mean and inglorious yet hereafter shall they be glorious creatures shining yea shining as the Sun So our Saviour himself expresseth it Matth. 13. 43. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father Being exceeding glorious And that even in their Bodies which shall have a singular clarity and lustre put upon them being made glorious bodies It is sowen in dishonour it is raised in glory saith the Apostle of the Bodies of Gods Saints 1 Cor. 15. 43. who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Phil. 3. last Quest. But what then shall their glory equal the glory of Christ Answ. Not so Head and members shall both be glorious Christ and his Saints shall both be made partakers of the same glory the same for kind but in a different degree So much we may learn from the third Particular which informs us that the face of the Sun of man shined as the Sun yea As the Sun shineth in his strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In vigore suo as the Sun at noon day or in
it who had all an adventure in that bottome nay were themselves imbarqued in it And so were like to swim or sink with it As it was with Babylon being the head City of the Persian Monarchy the peace of the whole Kingdome and all the subjects in it depended upon that And therefore the Prophet adviseth the Jewish captives to seek the peace of that City and to pray unto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace Jer. 29. 7. Even thus was it with Ierusalem Yet again in the fifth place This City it was the City of the great King so called by the Psalmist 48. 2. The great King but what king why not onely the City of David as it is sometimes called Luk. 2. 4. 11. the Emperial City where David and his successours had sate upon the throne for many Generations almost five hundred years together before the Captivity of Babylon There are set thrones of judgement saith the Psalmist the throne of the house of David Psal. 122. 5. Not onely so but it was the City of the great King of the King of heaven the City of God So our Saviour meaneth it Matth. 5. 35. where forbidding to swear by Hierusalem he giveth this reason for it for it is the City of the great King i.e. of God So the Psalmist explains himself in the 8. verse of that psalme Psal. 48. As we have heard so have we seen in the City of the Lord of Hosts in the City of God As also in the first verse God is greatly to be praised in the City of our God So was Hierusalem There God dwelt The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for ever here will I dwell Psal. 132. 13 14. This was the place the onely place upon earth where God manifested his presence in a fixed and constant way Here formerly was the Ark of the Covenant the pledge and token of Gods presence The glory of Israel and of the world and therefore called The glory Rom. 9. 4. Here was the Sanctuary where God dwelt betwixt the Cherubins and from whence the light of salvation went forth unto all the world This was urbs sacris dicata as Grotius saith of it a place dedicated to the worship and service of God a place which God had chosen to put his name there the place whither the tribes came up to worship Psal. 122. 4. where the Ordinances of God were set up in their glory majesty and held forth in a publick way So as this place miscarrying it could not but go ill with the Churches of God and with the Religion of God And this it was as Gualter and Calvin note it upon the Text which above all other things our blessed Saviour took to heart The other considerations might move him but this above all to think that that place which God had made choice of to put his name in where he had dwelt where his Temple the place of his publick worship was that that should be brought to such a miserable desolation as he by the eye of his divinitie saw to hang over the head of it this this it was that pierced his heart and stirred up his compassions in him drawing tears from his eies When he beheld the City he wept over it Wept over it There is the expression of his compassion Let me touch upon that also and I shall put the application of both these together He wept This Passion some look upon as unsutable to the person of Christ. And thereupon as both Beza and Grotius take notice of it from Epiphanus in divers of the ancient Copies this passage was left out But without any just cause To hear of Christs weeping is not such a rarity that any should boggle at it Four several times saith one Writing upon the Text we read hereof The first at his Nativity his Birth For this he citeth that Apochryphal Text Wisd. 7. 3. Where wisedome whereby he understandeth Christ who is so called Prov. 8. saith that she was Borne crying and weeping as all other do Thus Infants are commonly born crying whether weeping or no I will not say And thus that pretended Solomon is conceived to set forth the birth of Christ who was therein conformed to the rest of the sons of men But that being Apocryphal I leave it as I find it uncertain so as it may be believed or rejected without any prejudice to the faith The three other are clear The first at the raising up of Lazarus where we read Joh. 11. 53. And Iesus wept The second here in this his Procession to Hierusalem as he calleth it He wept over it The third and last in his Passion in the Garden concerning which the Author to the Hebrews tels us that he offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryings and tears Heb. 5. 7. Thus saith he did our blessed Saviour who was the fountain of life water the world with his tears which he compareth to the four Rivers which went out of Paradise to water the earth But letting that passe as more witty then weightie Weeping we see was no new or strange thing with our Saviour That ever he laughed that we read not that he wept we meet with it more then once Q. But it may be said Wherefore should our Saviour here weep over Hierusalem what ever calamities he saw impending hanging over the head of it he could have prevented them if he had pleased And why then doth he lament that which with a word he was able to have remedied A. To this it is answered First This he did to shew the truth of his humanity Taking upon him our nature he took upon him also all Passions and Affections common to that nature Being made like unto us in all things sin onely excepted as the Apostle hath it Heb. 4. 15. subjected to all our not sinful infirmities Thus he slept eat and drank which the nature of man requireth And thus we read that he was weary hungry thirsty and thus he wept All to shew himself truly man and that together with our nature he had also taken our Infirmities as the Evangelist Saint Mathew hath it Matth. 8. 17. But secondly Hereby he testified his affection towards those for whom he was made man and for whose sake he came into the world This he did first for the Jew I am not sent save onely to the Lost â—â—eepe of the house of Israel so he tells the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. 24. His arrand was first to the Iewes to seek and save them And hereby he expressed his indeared affection unto them This was the contrition which the Jewes made of his weeping over Lazarus his grave Behold how he loved him say they Ioh. 11. 36. And the same construction may we make of this his weeping over Hierusalem Hereby he shewed that tender affection which he bare unto them
and the desire which he had of their welfare and happinesse Q. But if he loved them so why did he not help them Why did he not divert those inpending evils This had been a greater expression of love to them to save them then to weep over them A. True as God he could have helped them He could have prevented all those evils and miseries But we must here look upon him as acting the part of a Mediator In the execution of which office the Divine nature often rested and hid it not putting forth that power which otherwise it could Thus in his Passion the Godhead slept while the Manhood suffered And thus here the Divine nature rested while the humane acted And he acting according to that nature lamenteth the miseries of 〈◊〉 people which in respect of his absolute power as God he could have prevented He could have done it but he would not And why Because he came not to do his own will but the will of him that sent him As he came to preach his Word not his own My doctrine is not mine own but his that sent me Joh. 7. 16. So he came to do his work his will not his own I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which hath sent me Joh. 5. 30. Now this was the will of the Father that that ungrateful people refusing and rejecting his Son and the offer of grace and mercy through him should smart for that their ingratitude And this he as man here lamenteth and bewaileth weeping over them When he saw the City he wept over it And what shall we observe from hence that may be useful to our selves Why here see what affection there ought to be in all those that professe the name of Christ towards the Church and people of God How they ought to be affected deeply affected with their miseries their calamities So was our blessed Saviour as we see with Hierusalems Foreseeing that calamitie which hung over the head of it the thought thereof melts his heart and wrings tears from his eyes He wept over it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Original which word coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Etimologist tels us which signifieth to break it imports a breaking of the heart with sorrow which dissolveth it self into tears And like affection should there be in all Christians It is that which Paul presseth upon â—is Philippians Let the same mind be in you which also was in Christ Iesus Phil. 2. 5. Now what mind was in him we see He was affected not onely with his own private condition but with the condition of others He not onely wept when the bitter cup was coming towards himself but he did the like when he saw it coming towards Hierusalem And let there be the same mind in all the Lords people Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others So the Apostle there presseth it in the verse foregoing vers 4. Thus should Christians look upon the condition of others specially of the Church and people of God with an affectionate eye as rejoycing in their welfare so condoling their misery and calamitie So should they look upon private persons pitying them in their misery Have pity upon me have pity upon me O ye my friends saith Iob to his kindred Job 19. 21. much more upon the Church Not looking upon her calamity with delight as a pleasing spectacle So indeed the Edomites are said to have looked on the day of their brother Obad. 12. When their brethren the Iews were carried into captivity they rejoyed at it but this was in them barbarous inhumanitie for which the Lord there threatens to be even with them vers 15. As thou hast done it shall be done unto thee But with pitiful and compassionate eyes and hearts mourning over their miseries whether present or imminent felt or found Thus shall we find the Saints of God to have been affected That of Jeremy is well known â—ho wisheth his head waters and his eyes a fountain of tears that he 〈◊〉 weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of his people Jer. 9. 1. So great was his compassion towards the people of the Jews that he thought he could never sufficiently bewail the miseries which by his prophetical eye he saw ready to befall them So was he affected therewith as if they had fallen upon himself So he expresseth 〈◊〉 in the chapter foregoing cap. 8. vers 21. For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt I am broken his heart was broken I am black like a mourner clad in sable or I am in heavinesse astonishment hath taken hold of me Like affection like compassion ought there to be in all Christians towards their brethren they ought to sympathize with them Weeping with them that weep as the Apostle hath it Rom. 12. 16. Yea weeping for them whilest it may be they do not weep for themselves This doth our Saviour here for Jerusalem They thought their state and condition good and happy Being not sensible of the evils which hung over their heads they were not affected with them I but our Saviour who foresaw those judgements as God he weepeth over them as man Thus should Christians be affected with those judgements of God which they foresee ready to fall upon others they ought to mourn for them This will the Prophet Isay do for Moab as himselâ— most pathetically expresseth it Isai. 15. 5. My heart shall cry for Moâ—â— cap. 16. 9. I will bewaiâ— with the weeping of 〈◊〉 the vine of Sibma I wilâ— water thee with my tears O Heshbon Again versâ— 11. My bowels shall sound like a harpe for Moabâ— i.e. with pity and compassion And the likâ— will the Prophet Ieremy do Therefore will 〈◊〉 homle for Moab c. Jer. 48. 31 32. Now werâ— the Prophets of God thus affected with the condition of Moab who were strangers nay enemies to God and his people O how oughâ— Christians to be affected towards Ierusalem towards the Church and people of God Great reason why they should mourn witâ— them for them In as much as they are memberâ— of the same body Now such a sympathy 〈◊〉 know there is betwixt the members of the natural body If one member suffer all the members suffer with it as the Apostle observes I Cor. 12. 26. And such a sympathy there ought to be betwixt the members of the Mistical Bodie That it should be so I presume it will readily be granted But then why is it not so Let that be the first branch of the Application How is it that there are no more mourners in this our Sion Surely it is not for want of just cause of mourning I presume that among those who are most in love with the present times yet there are none that so doate upon them but they will acknowledge there is yet somewhat among us
foot daily increasing among us what do they presage If we know it not let our Saviour tell it us Mark 3. 24. If a Kingdom be divided against it self that Kingdome cannot stand And the naturalist will tell us â—o lesse Cor divisum mors est If the heart be divided the body cannot live Now then having thus approached to and looked upon this Nation what remains but that our eyes should move our hearts to pity and compassionate it to mourn over it Little else it is that private persons can do And this let them do Preces Lachrymae Prayers and tears are the Churches weapons which every one both may and ought to make use of And this let us as at other times so this day do All of us powring forth our souls before the Lord in an humble confession of our own sins and the sins of the Nation which have justly deserved what ever we either feel or fear begging it from him that he would graciously return unto us undertaking the Cure of this Sin-sick nation healing our breaches sanctifying and removing the judgements which lie upon us diverting those which further threaten us yet shewing us his salvation in carrying on that great and blessed work of Reformation in despite of all opposition from those accursed Balaamits whether Romes emissaries or others who seek and endeavour to frustrate it setting up the kingdome of his dear Son among us in a right way so making us yet a people to praise his name Thus have I done with the two first of these particulars The third is yet behind which my eye is principally upon which we have in the verse following VERSE XLII Saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace A Most Affectionate and Pathetical Exclamation and therefore abrupt and defective Such oftimes are the speeches of men in Passion Specially in the passion of grief and sorrow wherein oftimes Vox faucibus haeret the tongue cleaveth to the roof of the mouth not able to expresse and utter what is in the breast Sorrow is a compression of the heart whereas joy doth dilate and open it grief doth compresse congeal and straighten it so as that which is within cannot readily get forth Hence is it that the expressions hereof are abrupt and broken And such is our Saviours here in the text His heart being full of grief and sorrow for the sin and misery of this people he expresseth himself in such an abrupt and broken way If thou hadst c. so leaving it with an Aposiopesis a Reticentia keeping in what should have made the sentence entire and full This defect is variously supplied by Expositors By some thus If thou hadst known c. Known so well as I thou wouldst have wept as well as I. By others thus If thou hadst known c. thou would not have done as thou hast done thou wouldst not have gone on to die and perish in thy sins By others thus If thou hadst known c. thou wouldst have hearkened to my counsel thou wouldst have been more studious of thy peace By Beza and Piscator with whom I choose to go along thus If thou hadst known c. Quam foelix esses beata How happie and blessed then mightst thou have been But this he leaveth out beaking off bruptly which he doth to intimate the greatnesse of his affection to shevv hovv earnestly he both vvished their good and bevvailed their misery If thou or O if thou as the former Translation hath it hadst known 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold here then the affection of a tender hearted Saviour towards an obstinate and unworthy people The people of the Jews a rebellious people A people that had deserved as ill at the hands of Iesus Christ as ever people did oâ— could have done They had abused his messengers his Ministers They had killed his Prophets and stoned those whom he sent unto them as he chargeth it upon them Matth. 22. 37. And they intended to do no lesse to himself They had already rejected him and all the offers of grace and mercy which he had made unto them So unvvorthy of all grace favour vvere they Yet see hovv he pitieth and compassionateth them hovv earnestly he wisheth their welfare hovv passionately he bevvails their misery Oh if thou c. Like affection shall vve find the Lord elsewhere expressing to this people breaking forth sometimes into such affectionate exclamations professing his earnest desire of their happinesse and welfare So he doth Deut. 5. 29. O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep my Commandements alwaies that it might go well with them and with their children for ever And again Deut. 32. 29. O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end How should one chase a thousand c. elsewhere we find him bewailing their obstinacy and misery as Psal. 81. 13. O that my people had hearkened unto me and Israel had walked in my statutes I should soon have subdued their enemies c. And the like Isai. 48. 18. O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandments then had thy peace been as the river c. Thus doth the Lord as it were bewail the obstinacy and lament the misery of that people wishing it had been otherwise with them So far is he then from taking pleasure in the death and destruction of poor sinners This do tyrants sometimes they take pleasure in their bloody executions feeding their eyes therewith as with pleasing spectacles But so doth not our God in the destruction of his creatures To this purpose that of the Prophet Ezekiel speaketh fully Ezek. 18. 31 32. Where the Lord bewayling the perversnesse of the people of the Iews in running on headlong to their own destruction he expostulateth the matter with them vers 31. Why will ye die O ye house of Israel then he professeth that he was not delighted iu their destruction or the destruction of any other vers 32. I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth No though wicked persons and so most worthy to die yet God taketh no pleasure in their death So he elsewhere explains it Ezek. 33. 11. As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked Object Why but doth not God will the death of the wicked Answ. True he willeth it but he taketh no pleasure in it He willeth it as an act of Iustice ordaining them to just condemnation for sin But he is not delighted in their destruction their misery Even as a just but merciful Judge he pronounceth the sentence of death upon a guiltie malefactor but it is with tears in his eyes God is delighted in mercy mercy pleaseth him as the Prophet hath it Micah 7. 18. but so doth not the misery of his creature Let it be taken notice of
by every of us Not to the end that we should abuse this mercy turn this grace into wantonnesse as Saint Iude saith of some in his time did Iude 4. taking occasion thereby to go on and continue in sin What shall we say then Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid saith the Apostle Rom. 6. 1. Shall we therefore go on to provoke this God because he is so compassionate towards us so loath that we should perish what were this but to abuse this his lenitie and goodnesse to our own just condemnation But on the other hand let this goodnesse of God lead us unto repentance This is the right use of it as we may learn from the same Apostle Rom. 2. 4. Be we hereby provoked to break off the course of our waies provoking sins and to come in unto this God by serious and unfeigned repentance This use will an ingennous child make of the indulgent affection of a tender hearted parent When he seeth the bowels of his father or mother yearning towards him bewailing his destructive courses if there be any spark of ingenuity left this cannot but work upon his heart and make him think of betaking himself to a new course which may be pleasing and contenful to so affectionate a parent Behold thus is our heavenly Father and thus is our blessed Saviour affected towards poor sinners And therefore let it have the like work upon every of us to provoke us to break off those sinfull wayes and courses which are so offensive to those pure eyes and come in unto our God by serious and unseigned Repentance So doing now doubt not but we shall have comfortable experience of his grace and mercy What was the Lord Iesus so affected towards a stubborn and rebellious people that he so earnestly wisheth their good and so passionately bewaileth their calamity and will he not shew the like affection to poor penitent sinners such as by coming unto him seek for mercy from him Surely the Lord Iesus hath carried his bowels to heaven with him still retaining the same affection tovvards poor sinners that here he had upon earth Hovv ever he be not capable of expressing it in the like vvay He can hence forth weep no more All tears being wiped from his eyes as they shall be from the eyes of all his Saints vvhen they shall be translated to that blessed and glorious condition Yet still he retaineth the same affection towards poor sinners He that wept over Ierusalem here wishing that it had been othervvise vvith them then it vvas and vvas like to be he doth earnestly desire that those tears and that blood vvhich he here shed in the dayes of his flesh may be made effectual for the vvashing avvay the sins of poor sinners Which also they shall be to all those who turning away from them come unto him receiving him as their Saviour and Lord. But I shall not any longer dwell upon this which I take up from the general consideration of the words or from the manner of speaking Come we now to the matter taking a nearer and more particular veivve of this Lamentation Wherein we shall take notice of two things the Evil of sin it self which our Saviour here bewaileth and secondly the Aggravations of that evil The evil bewailed is their stupidity their not knowing of what belonged to their peace The aggravations of that evil are two the one taken from the persons the other from the time The persons who were thus stupid Ierusalem If thou even thou The time the day of their visitation At least in this thy day These are the severals we have now to deal with Begin with the first The evil lamented their not knowing the things which belonged to their peace Here by way of explication three things are to be unfolded 1. What is here ment by peace 2. What were those things which belonged to Ierusalems peace 3. How it is said that they did not know those things Q. For the first by Peace here understand we prosperity felicity So the word was familiarly used among the Hebrews In as much as Peace is a comprehensive blessing they set forth all blessings under this Thus in their ordinary salutations they were wont to wish Peace Peace be unto thee and peace be unto thy house and peace be unto all that thou hast It is the salutation which David sends to Nabal 1 Sam. 25. 6. And thus our Saviour sending forth his Apostles he puts this word into their mouthes directing them to salute the families where they came after that manner with an apprecation of peace Into whatsoever house ye enter ye shall first say Peace be to this hous Luk. 10. 5. i.e. all kind of happinesse And so look we upon the word here in the text By peace understanding here all kind of felicitie Omnes foelicitatis partes as Calvin hath it all the parts and kinds of happinesse Happinesse both present and future temporal and eternal Q. 2. But what were the things which belonged unto this their peace A. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why in one word Christ himself and the doctrine of salvation by and through him Christ and his Gospel These were the things which conduced to their peace to the making of them a happy people and that both here and hereafter Other things there were which in a Political and civil way might have tended to the outward peace the temporal prosperity of that place But none like this none like Christ who is the Prince of peace Isai. 9. 6. And our peace Ephes. 2. 14. In him is the salvation of a people bound up This it is which maketh a people truly happy The knowledge of Iesus Christ. And this knowledge the inhabitants of Ierusalem were destitute of They neither did nor would know this their Peace-maker Moses they knew he being read in their Synagogues every Sabbath day Act. 15. 21. But Christ they knew not Q. 3. But what did not they know him had they not heard of him Nay had they not both heard and seen him heard his Doctrine seen his Miracles A. True but they did not receive him He came unto his own and his own recived him not Joh. 1. 11. He came unto his own to Israel his own peculiar people to the land of Canaan his own Countrey he being of the seed of Abraham to Ierusalem his own City he being the Son of David but they received him not they would not own him they would not acknowledge him to be their Messias they would neither believe on him nor submit unto him This it is truly to know God and Iesus Christ to know them in an affectionate way Not barely to know and believe that there is a God and a Christ no nor yet to know that Jesus is that Christ. This knowledge the Devils had and have I know thee who thou art even that holy one of God saith
so long as the Sun and Moon endureth Thus I have done with the substance of this Complaint come we now to the circumstances the Aggravations of this Evil. Which as I shewed you are two the Persons and Time Begin with the former If thou hadst known even thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si vel tu nosses Si cognovisses tu Not If thou hadst even known as the former Translation renders it putting the Emphasis upon the word Known but if even thou hadst known with reference to the Persons or Place Even thou Thou also say some thou Ierusalem as well as others as well as this poor troop of my Apostles and Disciples or as divers other lesser Cities and Villages have done or as this company now doth which acknowledgeth me to be what I am crying Hosanna or as some other places heretofore have done some of which have been so happy as timely to take notice of what belonged to their peace So did that great City Nineveh at the preaching of Ionah they repented John 3. 5. whose example elsewhere we finde propounded by our Saviour to the Jews Mat. 12. 41. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment against this generation and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Ionah And the like had some other places and persons done And O that Ierusalem had also done the like If thou also hadst known Thou as well as others Or Secondly Thou rather then others So Calvin and divers other Expositors here conceive of it As if our Saviour did here compare Ierusalem with other Cities of Iudea Yea with all other Cities of the whole world All which Ierusalem excelled in respect of many priviledges This was the City of David the Emperial City yea the City of the great King the City of God a City beloved of God above all other places upon the earth Coeleste in terris Sacrarium as Calvin saith of it a heavenly Sanctuary upon earth where God had betrusted his Oracles his Ordinances where he had manifested his presence after a special manner dwelling between the Cherubins according to that of the Psalmist Psal. 132. 13 14. For the Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for ever here will I dwell Such was Ierusalem Heavens favorite Earths Non-such a City paramount preferred and advanced above all other Cities and places upon earth in respect of spiritual priviledges And this our Saviour here taketh up as an Aggravation both of his Sorrow and her Sin Of his Sorrow Even thou As for other places other Cities suppose Chorazin Bethsaida Capernaum the Gadarenes or Samaria or the like for any of these to perish and miscarry as they did this were no other but a sad thing deserving to be lamented over But that Ierusalem should do so this went nearer our Saviours heart then any other Even as Brutus his stab did to Caesars which made him cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tu Brute what thou my son thou Brutus Even so did Ierusalems obstinacy and ingratitude here to our Saviour And thereupon he crieth out after the same manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even thou Like as it is with a natural parent he cannot but be offended with the miscarriage of any of his children but that his darling the son of his delights whom he hath set his love upon and shewen most affection to that he should miscarry this goeth near him So was it with Iacob when he apprehended some sad disaster to have befallen his son Ioseph his dear son the son of his age to whom he had expressed more affection then the rest of his Brethren as appeared by his party coloured garment this went near his heart insomuch that he refused to be comforted resolving to go down to the grave to him mourning as we have the story Gen. 37. 3. 35. And so was David affected with his Absolon He being his darling whom he had tendered and cockered when he understood what a fatal end he by his Rebellion had brought himself unto this makes David break forth into that passionate Lamentation O Absolon my son my son c. 2 Sam. 19. 4. Thus did Ierusalems carriage and miscarriage her sin and punishment which our Saviour saw and foresaw affect him more then if it had been any other place O if even thou hadst known This was an Aggravation of his Sorrow 2. And so secondly of their Sin This also our Saviour may well be conceived to insinuate in this passionate expression If Even thou Thou which hast enjoyed such means so many mercies that hast been lifted up to heaven preferred before al places in the world in respect of spiritual favours and Gospel priviledges that thou shouldest be thus stupid thus blinde as not to see not to regard the things which belonged to thy peace and happiness this renders thee of all others most miserable and maketh thy ingratitude most superlative So he here chargeth this upon them as a heinous aggravation of their Sin calling for an answerable Iudgment And so indeed it is as Calvin maketh the observation the more means the greater mercies a people enjoy the greater is their sin and the greater shall their punishment be in case they do not walk answerably to them and in some measure worthy of them Mark it this is the Observation which this passage naturally yieldeth Means and Mercies not regarded not improved not answered are dreadful aggravations both of Sin and Judgment For this express and full is that obvious Text Mat. 11. 20. where our Saviour breaketh forth into a like Exprobration against those Cities which he had honoured with his presence and doctrine as here he doth against Ierusalem Then saith the Text began he to upbraid the Cities wherein most of his mighty works were done because they repented not verse 20. In the verses foregoing he had taxed the general morosity and frowardness of that people upon whom no means could work neither Iohns austerity nor his own Comitie this he doth vers 16 17 18 19. But now he cometh more specially to deal with those particular places where he had been most conversant taxing them as being most faulty of all the rest Their sin was greater and so should their punishment be So it followeth vers 21. Woe unto thee Chorazin woe unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago in sackcloath and ashes Chorazin and Bethsaida two Cities upon the Lake of Gennezareth where Christ conversed much taught often wrought many miracles yet they repented not they were not thereby wrought upon to imbrace the Gospel What followeth you have it in the next verse v. 22. I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment then for you At the day of general
life and of Gods grace is but a day This your day A Day is of no long continuance specially a winters day A few houres the Sun is above the Horizon but then it setteth and leaveth a sable darknesse upon the face of the earth Such is the life of man a day and that to make the best of it a winters day stormy and short Brethren the time is short saith the Apostle speaking of the time of mans life upon earth 1 Cor 7. 29. How short who knoweth oftimes doth the Sunn go down upon man before it be well up Oh therefore now up and be doing The day is a time for Action the night for rest Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour untill the evening Psal. 104 23. And so is the day of this life This is the time for the working out of our salvation And therefore now set upon this work I must work the works of him that sent me whil'st it is day saith our Saviour in that Iohn 9. 4. the night cometh when no man can work The night of death There is no worke nor device nor knowledge nor wisedome in the grave whither thou goest saith the Preacher Eccles. 9. 10. And therefore as he there maketh the use of it whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might Thus do we the work of the particular calling much more of the generall the working out of our salvation the making of our Calling and Election sure This do we and that in this our day To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts whil'st the day of life and the day of grace lasteth Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation saith the Apostle to his Corinthians 2 Cor. 6. 2. And therefore as he there presseth it upon them ver 1. Let not us receive the grace of God in vain This do they who injoy the outward meanes of salvation but are not bettered by them like the earth which receiveth the seed which is cast into it by the hand of the Husbandman and drinketh in the former and latter rain and yet remains barren Let not us so receive the grace of God tendred and held forth unto us in the preaching of the Gospel But let it into our hearts that taking root there it may bring forth Gospel-fruits in our lives And this do we now Now whil'st it is called to day Remembering that the time of grace and of our life is but a day 2. And secondly remember that this is our day In this thy day This was Ierusalems day the Iews day wherein grace and mercie was offered unto them The next was the Gentiles day or the next was Gods day wherein he would visit them after another manner in judgment not in mercy And therefore saith our Saviour here Oh if at least in this thy day And hear we him speaking the like to every of us this day Oh that you in this your day The time of this life is our day A day that hath no morrow And the time of grace is our day Shall we let slip this day then expect we God's day even that diem ultionem the day of vengeance Such days our Saviour foretelleth were coming upon the Iewes Luke 21. 22. These be the dayes of vengeance speaking of the time of Ierusalems destruction wherein the Lord would severely revenge all those indignities offered to his Son And such dayes of vengeance God hath for all obstinate sinners It may be in this life If not yet at that last day which wil be a day of blacknesse and darknesse a day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God Now knowing the terrour of that day Oh! that all of us would be perswaded now in this our day to look out to take notice of what belongs to our peace and comfort at that day This is our day a time allotted us by God for this purpose to husband for the good of our souls And 3ly this is but one day As for the Labouring-man he hath many dayes allowed him to do his work in And so if he have lost one he may yet recover it get it up again at another time But as for us we have but one day If that day be past there is no recovery Soles occidere redire possunt The Sunn setteth and riseth again upon the earth But if the Sunn of our life and the Sun of God's graee be once set upon us never look that it should rise upon us again O! therefore in the fear of God be wee all of us awakened and stirred up that we may not sleep nor trifle away this our day either in doing of nothing or that which is worse Remember that upon this our day depends our Eternitie And therefore now whil'st it is called to day all of us look out to what belongs to our eternall peace Behold at this day the Lord Iesus is riding in triumph in the midst of his Ordinances as here he did to Ierusalem in the midst of his Apostles and Disciples O that there were such a heart in every of us that wee might now Lift up set open those everlasting doors the doors of our souls that this King of Glorie might enter in that the Lord Iesus might come and take a full possession of all our hartes so as to rule thereby his Word Spirit Then quà m faelices beati how blessed and happie shall wee be Such use make wee of this Generall day this day of Grace Wherein there are also particular days particular times and seasons in which Christ cometh unto men as here he did to Ierusalem offering himselfe to them after a more speciall manner This is that which he tells the Laodicean Angel Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knock So he doth at the doors of mens Consciences where he knocketh both by Outward means by his Word by mercies Chastisements every of which is a knock at this door and by inward motions of his Spirit Now is it so that Jesus Christ thus knocketh at any of our hearts at this or at any other time let us forthwith open unto him That is the meaning of every such knock It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh saith the Spouse saying open unto me Cant. 5. 2. And this doe we receiving him into our hearts by Faith that he may dwel theare as a Saviour a Lord. And this do wee forthwith Not knowing but this may be the last knock as this was the last time that ever our Saviour knocked at Ierusalem's gates which if it be and shall be sleighted then what remaines but a just retaliation even that which we meet with Luke 13 25. That the doore being shut wee should stand without and knock receiving no other Answer but that which is there returned I know yee not whence ye are Or that which wee finde in the close of the Text that ihe
not the knowledge of thy Law This do too many even among our selves though with their tongues they dare not yet with their hearts and in their lives they speak as much plainly manifesting to the world by their words and actions what the thoughts of their hearts are viz. That they do not desire to have any acquaintance with God or his Word to know his minde and will that they may do it And thus are the things which belong unto their everlasting peace hid from their eies O most sad and deplorable condition what hope can there be of such an one Upon this account our Saviour here looketh upon Ierusalems estate as most forlorn and desperate She neither had nor would see what belonged to her peace So as through her wilful ignorance this was hid from her eies And therefore let her now make account of what followeth The daies shall come upon thee when thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee c. And even such is the condition of all wilful and obstinate sinners who shut out the light of Gods truth out of their hearts will not give way to the admonitions directions convictions of the Word and Spirit so as to be wrought upon by them to be changed and reformed in their hearts and lives let them make account that the like daies shall come upon them daies of blacknesse and darknesse daies of judgment and vengeance it may be temporal which they have just cause to fear continually hanging over their heads however eternal And O that now the terrour of the Lord might fall and take hold upon every one of you whose condition this is that being awakened you may be also perswaded to open your eies to set open the doors and windows of your souls to let in the Sun of righteousnesse to let in that heavenly light which shineth forth unto you that so the things which belong unto your peace your eternal peace and happinesse they may be no longer hid from your eies which if they still be through your obstinacie and wilfulnesse for other cause you can assign none then take heed lest that God whose patience you have abused and whose grace you have rejected do in his most righteous judgment seal up your eies passing an irrevocable sentence upon you that seeing you will not see therefore you shall not see but that these things be now from henceforth for ever hid from your eies And so I am fallen upon the second Particular the second ground and cause of this blindnesse in Ierusalem The things belonging to her peace were hid from her eies as through her own wilful obstinacie so also through Gods righteous judgment And thus they were hid not onely for the present but also for the future 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But now they are hid from thine eies That is from henceforth so as now thou shalt not see them and that through the righteous judgment of God hiding them from thee Thus it is Daies of Grace have their dates Mark it This is the Observation which this passage naturally yieldeth us Daies of Grace have their dates Times and seasons wherein the Grace and Mercie of GOD is offered and tendered to the Sons of men for their acceptance they are limited they have their terms and boundaries beyond which they shall not extend Hence is it that they are called by the name of Daies If thou hadst known in this thy day Now a Day is a determined time However there are Winter-daies and Summer-daies some shorter others longer yet each is limited and measured by the motion of the Sun And so are the Seasons of Grace which God vouchsafeth unto the Sons of men upon earth though some are longer then others yet all limited all determined by God What the Prophet Habakukâ—aith â—aith of Prophetical Vision Hab. 2. 3. The Vision is for an appointed time the same may be said of these gracious dispensations the offers and tenders of grace and mercie they are for an appointed time Daies of Grace have their dates their limits So have both National and Personal daies 1. National daies wherein God offers mercie to communities of men these are limited So it was we know with the old world concerning which we may hear God declaring his purpose Gen. 6. 3. My spirit shall not ever strive with man for that he also is flesh yet his dates shall be an hundred and twentie years A long time God had striven with the men of that generation He had so done and that both outwardly and inwardly Outwardly as by his Works so by his Word which was preached to them by Noah whom Saint Peter calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Preacher or publisher of Righteousnesse of the righteous judgments of God in case they should not repent to which in the name of God he perswaded them By him it was that Christ went and preached to the spirits in prison as the same Apostle hath it 1 Pet. 3. 19. This he did by the Ministerie of Noah or some others who were inspired by him In and by them he preached to the men of that generation who were then alive but at this time when Peter wrote that Epistle dead and their spirits their souls many of them in the prison of Hell And besides this Outward striving by his Word he did also strive with them Inwardly by the inward motions and operations of his Spirit pressing and urging their consciences to Reformation and Repentance Thus he had striven with them and that long but he will not ever so do My Spirit shall not ever strive with Man And thereupon hee limits them a time for their Repentance The daies of Man shall be an hundred and twentie years Not that the time of man's life should not afterwards exceed that number of years for we finde diverse after the Flood living much longer but so long should their day of grace and mercie last So long a time out of his gracious indulgence God would yet allow to that generation to bethink themselvs to reform their hearts and lives in which if once past and not improved for the end to which it was allotted them then they must look for no more mercie but a deluge of vengeance should sweep them off from the face of the earth To this I might subjoin that of Nineveh which had her fortie daies and no more allowed unto her for the same end Fortie daies and Nineveh shall be destroied Ion. 3. 4. viz. except within that time they repented which condition God reserved to himself Thus there is a time appointed and determined by God which though he do not declare to others yet he hath set down with himself how long hee will strive with a Nation a people how long he will wait for their Repentance which time being past then the date of mercie is out So it was with Ierusalem here she had had her Day a day of grace and that a long day wherein
been I shall content my self with generalities Onely taking notice of that long day of grace and mercy which this Nation hath had during which the light of the Gospel hath shone forth to it and that in so clear and glorious a manner as I suppose without flatterie I may speak it it hath not done to any other nation under heaven Now have we in this our day known the things which belonged to our peace Hath Christ and his Gospell found that intertainment among the generality which he expected and it deserved The Generalitie I say True it is some there have been and at this day are who have sincerely imbraced both And so there were in Jerusalem some that cryed Hosanna to the Sonne of David Hosanna in the highest Matth. 21. 9 15. But how is it with the greatest part do not they yet love darknesse rather then light setting light by the light of the Gospel and the Ministery thereof even Gadarene like preferring their swine before Iesus Christ. A charge wherein I wish there were not too much truth Such sleight and slender entertainment hath the Gospell with the faithful messengers thereof found among the greatest part of this Nation A sad prognostick Specially if it be considered to what a height this disaffection is at this day improved and risen even to the disclaiming and crying down of the Ministery it self So is it with some and not a few They are growen disaffected not onely to the persons of Ministers but even to their function and calling disclaiming that as Antichristian Thus are the feet of them who bring glad tidings of peace which sometimes were and in themselves are beautifull now become in the eyes of many black and deformed A sad symptome So it was in Jerusalem of which we read 2 Chr. 36. 16. The Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his Messengers rising up betimes and sending them because he had compassion on his people on his dwelling place But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord rose against his people till there was no remedy no Healing This made their disease incurable and the wrath of God implacable When sickmen being distracted shall flye in the faces of their Physitians and there be none to bind them what hope of Cure can there be This was Jerusalems case as the Parable sets it forth Matth. 21. 33. God the great Householder having planted a Vineyard the Jewish Church and let it forth to Husbandmen so the Priests he sends his servants some after other to receive the fruites thereof his Prophets former and latter to require that people to bring forth fruits meet for repentance but they beat one and killed another and stoned another so did they use the Prophets Hereupon he sendeth his sonne Christ himself who met with the like usage Now what followeth hereupon That you may hear first from the mouthes of the Jews themselves to whom our Saviour here propoundeth this Parable making them judges in the cause that so he might cōdemn them out of their own mouthes They say unto him he will miserably destroy these wicked men and will let out his vineyard to other husbandmen which shall render him the fruites in their season v. 41. which afterwards you find explained and applyed by our Saviour to themselves v. 43. Therefore I say unto you the Kingdome of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruit thereof When the Ministers of God come to meet with such intertainment and that for doing their office it is a sad presage that the Kingdome of God the Gospel shall not long continue there and that Judgment is not far from such a people Upon this account our Saviour looketh upon Jerusalems condition as desperate O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee How often would I have gathered thy children together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not Behold your house is left unto you desolate Matthew 23. 37 38. Here is a first Prognostick and that a sad one Secondly Let a second be that which I have named and touched upon already Gods withdrawing the light by putting out the Candles I mean taking away his Ministers who are said to be the light of the world Thus was it done to Ierusalem And whether this be in any degree applicable to this Nation or no I shall leave it to those who are privie to the present state of it to judge Of late how many able and faithfull Ministers taken away Now when a Prince begins to call away his Ambassadours it is ordinarily looked upon as a Passing-bell to the peace of that Nation Repl. But howsoever it may be said some be by Providence taken away yet others by the like providence are substituted in their roomes A. True it may be in some places but not so in all Some Candlesticks there are at this day and I suppose not a few destitute of Candles not well knowing where to find a supply Again as for those which are thus substituted by the providence of God are they also all substituted by his Ordinance Are there not some and not a few Ambassadours without their commission men running before they are sent not called nor impowred to do any Ministeriall act which yet Vzziah like they attempt to do that not onely to preach which the Apostle will tell us none can do except they be sent Rom. 10. 15. speak they may but not Preach which is an act of office but also some of them to administer the Seales the Sacraments And by this means the Church in many places cometh to be deprived of an Ordinance upon which all other publick Ordinances have a dependance I mean of a true Gospell Ministerie with which Iesus Christ hath promised his special countenance Thirdly To this add in the third place that where means are continued yet is not the Spirit withdrawen So was it with Ierusalem they injoyed Ordinances but there was no life in them the Glorie of the Lord was gone up from the Cherub And is it not so in many parts of this Nation at this day Ordinances remain but is not the glorie of the Lord departed from them where is that life where is that power which heretofore appeared in them God hath yet his Armies of Prophets many faithfull and powerfull Ministers who may be looked upon as the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel but he doth not go forth with these his Armies as formerly giving such successe unto the labours of his servants as heretofore he hath done How is it that in many places where the word is purely and powerfully preached there are such thin Auditories as there are specially upon the week daies in comparison of what they have been some refusing to come not willing to lend an eare to any but their
own others neglecting to come out of an irreligious prophanesse and among those that do come yet how few constant conscionable attendants upon this Ordinance A plain evidence that this ordinance hath lost much of that respect as also of that power that sometimes it hath had And what I say of the word I may also apply it to the Sacrament the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Which though held forth in the purest and most comfortable way of Administration according to Christs Institution the Churches primitive practise yet how is it by many fleighted and neglected So as those who heretofore were wont to come as it now seemeth for fear or fashion being now left to themselves will not come for love The feast is prepared and the Guests invited but they find some excuse or other to keep them away A thing which I wish there were not too just cause to complain of even in this place Now surely among other this is also a sad token 4. To which let me add those other which I have also made mention of Gods blinding the Eyes and hardning the hearts of many sending so many false Teachers with strong and strange delusions amongst us giving up many to the believing of them All sadly remarkable in this Nation at this day I think never more in any And what may we conceive these to portend Surely sad Omens they are giving us too just cause to fear lest God should be about to depart to take away his Kingdom his Gospel from us which meeteth not only with such sleightings but such affronts and oppositions as it doth 5. To which let me yet subjoyn that which bodes as ill as any of the former our not profiting by Iudgments but rather being made worse by them This is that which the Lord complaines of against Israel Isai. 1. 5. why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more Gods judgments had a contrary effect upon them to what they were intended He corrected them for their amendment thereby to bring them home to himself but they took occasion thereby to go further away from him so as his Corrections were in vain to them as elswhere he complains Ier. 2. 30. In vaine have I smitten your children they received no correction viz. so as to be bettered by it but rather waxed worse worse And would to God that this did not lie as too just a charge against this sad Land and Nation wherein we live That God hath stricken us I suppose there are few but are in some kinde or other sensible But what effect have these Rods these Judgments had upon us Are we better by them Are we thereby reclaimed reformed brought home to God Are we made the more humble the more careful the more watchful the more fruitful O that these effects were to be found amongst us But is it not clean contrary Are we not grown more proud a sin I think never so visible in this Nation as at this day more remiss more loose more barren and unfruitful then ever And if so what just cause have we to fear lest the Lord in his most righteous judgment do unto us as there he threatens unto Israel give us over striving no longer with us but leaving us to our selves letting us alone as elswhere he threatens unto Ephraim Hos. 4. 17. to go on in our sinful provocations until there be no remedy These are some of those grounds upon which we may build our too just fears To which I might yet have added some other But I forbear any further charge Coming rather to enquire Q. What shall we now do for the Land of our Nativity A. 1. Do what our Saviour here doth for Ierusalem Mourn over it weep over it with compassionate and affectionate tears laying to heart the sad state and condition thereof This doth he knowing how it was with that City that the things belonging to her peace were now hid from her And this do we over England fearing lest it should be so with it 2. But tears alone will not help When Ioshuah was fallen upon his face mourning for the discomfiture which had happened unto Israel Iosh. 7. 10. the Lord takes him up with these words Get thee up wherefore lyest thou upon thy face Intimating unto him that it was not his humbling and afflicting himself without somewhat else that would heal that breach which Israels sinne their violating and transgressing the Covenant of their God had made upon them as it followeth in the next verse There must be some other course taken for the reconciling of them unto God and making their peace with him And what was that Why the people must be sanctified and the Accursed thing must be taken from among them as the 13. verse hath it And O that England might take the like course It is not all our falling upon our faces before the Lord all our daies of publick Humiliation though that be a sacrifice acceptable unto God that will serve to appease his wrath and to procure his favour that alone will not do it unlesse also the people be sanctified and the Accursed thing removed from among us This then let every of us in our several places indeavour Beginning first with our selves Every one searching and trying our own waies that we may find out the Action in our own hearts and lives our own personal sinns Which having found out now take them away putting away the evill of our doings from before the eyes of our God by serious and unfeined repentance and reformation renewing our Covenant with our God cleaving unto him with full purpose of heart Then indeavour we the like for others every of us in our places as I said Magistrates in their places Ministers in theirs Masters of families in theirs private Christians in theirs contributing what we may towards a reall and National Reformation that so the Accursed thing even all kind of wrath provoking abominatious may be taken away from the midst of us and that we may be a people sanctified dedicated and consecrated unto the Lord. So doing now know we for our Comfort that we have to deal with a God gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse ready to repent of what ever evill he intendeth against a people Especially his own people not willing to reject and cast off a people that are in Covenant with him So much he expressed to this people the people of the Iewes before the Captivity by making so many removes before his final departure from them so the Prophet Ezekiel saw it in his Visions in which the glory of the Lord removed not lesse then five several times before it took its leave First from the Cherub to the threshold of the house the Temple Ezek. 9. 3. 2. It removed higher standing over the door cap. 10. 4. 3. From the threshold it returned and stood over the Cherubins which were mounted up from
the evill the evil intended and threatned which accordingly he did reversing that sentence which was passed upon them And the like he did to Israel at Moses's intercession the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people Exod 32. 14. But it will not hence follow that because God dealeth thus with some therefore he will do so to all However that Figtree was spared for a year yet the other Fig-tree which we read of was not spared an hour So the Storie tels you Matth. 21. 19. Iesus passing by the way and espying a figtree or which he found no fruit however as St. Mark notes it Mark 11. 13. the time of Figs was not yet yet he presently blasteth it passing that doom upon it let no fruit grow on thee hence forward for ever which sentence was accordingly executed and that forthwith So it followeth And presently the figtree withered away Thus though God may for time spare some and seem to repent of what he hath threatened concerning them yet as he will not ever do so to any so neither will he doe so to all He that spaâ—ed Israel at that time yet afterwards sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest And he who spared Aaron at Moses request when he was angrie with him to have destroyed him as you have it Deut. 9. 20. would not spare Korah and his Companie of whom you reade Numb 16. Upon their Rebellion against Moses and Aaron there was a suddain and dreadful execution done upon them The ground clave a sunder that was under them And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up c. So as They went alive into the pit v. 31. 32. 33. And so for those others who at the same time usurped the Priests Office taking upon them to offer Incense presently There came out a fire from the Lord and consumed them v. 35 As it was also with the Sonnes of Aaron Nadab and Abihu they daring to offer strange fire before the Lord presently there went out a strange fire from the Lord and confounded them Lev. 10. 1. 2. Thus however God belong suffering towards some yet not so to all And however he doth as it were repent over some yet not over all Cain Esauâ—â— and Saul could finde no place for such repentance And what knowest thou who takest up this plea but that this may be thy case thy lot Obj. why but hath not God ingaged himselfe to doe the like to all that shall repent and turne to him This is that which Ieremie assures the Princes and all the people of Israel Ier. 26. 13. Amend your waies and your doings and obey the voice of the Lord your God and the Lord will repent him of the evill which he hath pronounced against you And what he promised them he likewise assureth unto others all others in the like case Cap. 18. 7 8 Where the promise is indefinite At what instant I shal speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdome to pluck up and to pull down and destroy it If that Nation against whome I have pronounced turn from their evill I will repent of the evill which I thought to do unto them If they repent of the evill of sin he will repent of the evil of punishment And if it be thus with a Nation why not with particular persons A To this I answere as before True it is so vpon mans repentance God will also repent But how knowst thou as before I sayd whether ever God will give thee that grace or space to repent How knowest thou but that in his just judgment he either already hath or suddainly may give thee up to that impenitent heart that shall not that cannot repent Not repent truely and sincerely Possibly in an hypocriticall or Legall way thou maist So did Cain so did Esau so did Saul so did Iudas being sensible of what they had brought upon themselves they bewailed their condition yet were far from true repentance Theire countenance was changed as it is said of Cain Gen. 4. 5. his countenance fell but not their hearts And so may it be with thee True Repentance Repentance unto life and salvation is Gods gift which he bestoweth freely upon whome he will and when he will And being so he may justly deny it which hold it from those who have sleighted and dispised his grace when it was offered and held forth to them To all such this doctrine upon this account speakes abundance of terrour Which let it serve in the next place as a Needle to draw in a thread after it making way for and now letting in a word of Advise and Counsell and that to all that are here this day before the Lord. Take you heede that you doe not receive the grace of gâ—d in vaine This is Paules Obtestation to his Corinthians 2. Cor. 6. 1. Wee then as workers together with God beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vaine And let it now be mine to you all and every of you who heare me this day I as a poore Minister of Christ working together with him as his unworthy Instrument exhort and beseech you that you receive not the grace of God in vain this Gospel grace the offer of grace mercy held forth uÌ„to you in the Ministerie of the word see that you do not receive it in vaine by onely giving it the hearing and so letting it dye and perish in the eare not having any such affect in and upon you as is intended by it viz. to bring you home unto God and Jesus Christ to receive and embrace him as your Saviour and Lord to beleive on him to submit unto him This is the end of all our preaching thus to some this good seede as the doctrine of truth is called Math. 13. 24. the seede of the word for the begetting of faith and obedience in the hearts of those that hear us Now see you to it that this seede doe not fall like that in the Parable which fell by the high way side Math. 13. 4. where the ground being hardned by the feere of the Passengers the seede cannot enter but lyeth above ground and so is sowen in vaine being spilt and lost Take heede that the word be not so spilt upon any of you that your hearts be not hardened against it that you should not receive it into them This is that which the Apostle presseth upon his Hebrewes Heb. 3. 7. 8 wherefore as the Holy-ghost saith Today if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts And let me press the same upon you Today if you will heare the voice of the Sonne of man the voice of Jesus Christ so heare it as that you may live doe not harden your hearts doe not oppose doe not resist the call of God by shutting the word out of your hearts This did the Israelites in the wildernesse When God spake unto them by
upon Gospell tearmes 3. And 3ly as to themselves so long as they live they stand obliged to accept of these offers which still refusing to do their sin is therby aggravated and heightned through that continued contempt 4. But yet in the 4th place If we speak of Gods secret decree and purpose questionlesse the day of grace may determine unto a man before the day of his life So it did there to Ierusalem She still liveth and flourisheth for a time Her day of prosperity was yet continued but her day of grace was now at an end Now are these things hid from thine eyes And questionlesse so may it be with some particular persons whom God in his just judgment hath given up to final impenitence so delivering them up unto Satan and themselves as that from thenceforth they never shall know the things belonging to their peace Obj. But what then may some say may not this be our case And if so then it is in vain for us to strive to seek for what is not to be found to knock at that door which is shut uppon us as it shall not be opened A. In answer to this I shall deal as tenderly as I may so as I may not discourage or dishearten any soul that intertaines but a thought of returning and coming in unto God that begins so much as to cast a glance heaven-ward Wherein I shall do no other then what the Lord Jesus himself doth of whom it was prophecied that he should not quench the smoaking flax Matth. 12. 20. Such was and is the gracious lenity and clemency of the Lord Jesus in his dealing with poor sinners in whom there are as yet onely some weak desires after grace some slender beginnings of conversion and faith And so shall I deal with all such 1. Willing them in the first place to take notice what is their Rule to walk by Not the secret but the revealed will of God Secret things belong unto the Lord but those things which are revealed to us and to our children for ever Deut. 29. 29. This is that which we are to look at and take notice of And therefore let not any upon this account disquiet and trouble their own soules with such anxious disquisitions as neither they nor any other for them whether man or Angel is able to resolve But apply themselves to the use of means This will men do as concerning their temporall estates They ne-over stand prying into Gods decree to enquire what portion in his secret purpose he hath layed out for them but they set about the work of their calling applying themselves to the use of means And so do you touching your spirituall and eternall estates Stand not to enquire how God hath disposed of you in his secret purpose but go about the work of your general calling apply your selves to the use of such means as God hath appointed to bring you home to himself by so waiting upon his good will and pleasure This is that which the Lord requires you to do And therefore in obedience to his command do it with that Poor impotent person Iohn 5. lying at the pool untill the Angell shall come down and stir the waters attending upon Ordinances untill God by his spirit concurring with them shall please to work effectually by them inclining your hearts to look towards himself giving you a sight and sense of your own sinfulnesse and miserie making you to see and feel the need you have of Jesus Christ and heginning to draw your hearts towards him Which when you find let this be a comfortable evidence unto you that your day is not yet past Onely be not you now wanting to this grace of God in giving intertainment to these motions of the spirit in opening of the doore of your hearts that so the Lord Jesus who is now knocking at them may enter in Which in the feare of God be ye now perswaded to do Not knowing but that this may be the last knock this the last sermon that ever we shall heare or the last mention of the spirit that ever you shall feele Now therefore even now before you goe from this place strike up the Covenant betwixt Iesus Christ and your soules accepting and receiving him in all those Gospell Relations not onely as a Saviour casting your soules upon him so as to rest upon the al sufficiencie of his merit for the pardon of sin and eternall salvation but also as a Lord a Husband a Head giving your selves up unto him to be guided and governed by him by his word and Spirit so receiving him into your hearts as that he may dwell in you and rule over you and that for ever This being done now know you for your comfort that you are through grace and mercie exempted out of this black list out of the number of those from whose eies the things belonging to their peace are hid God having thus revealed his Sonne Christ not onely to you but in you as the Apostle saith of himself Gal. 1. 16. not onely revealed him to your eares but to your hearts as by his word so by his spirit inclining your hearts to close with him to receive him upon these Gospel tearms now he hath made you to know the things which belong unto your peace Which whilest he hath hid from others he hath revealed to you For which differencing mercie to close up all in a word blesse you God giving unto him the glorie of this his free grace which hath put such a difference betwixt you and others This doth our Saviour in the behalfe of his Disciples in the Text forecited Math. 11. 25. I thanke thei O father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes The great misteries of this Kingdome God had revealed them unto the poore and simpler sort of people the poore received the Gospell whilest in the meane time they were hid from the Scribes and Pharises men worldly wise and learned And this our Saviour there acknowledgeth to be his work an art of his meere good will and pleasure Even so father for so it seemed good in thy sight v. 26. And the like doe you for your selves Seeing God hath now revealed unto you those things which he hath hid from others many others who upon a Naturall or Civill account are far your betters being preferred before you as in place and estate so in understanding and worldly wisedome Give ye unto him the glorie of this mercie acknowledging it to be an art of his free grace a singular favour vouchsafed unto you For which let your soules for ever bless him prasing and magnifying him who hath thus now made you Children or light whereas others the greatest part of the world still sit in darknesse in the shaddow of death some of them having their eies already closed up so as they neither do nor ever